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Iron (Fe) is an important trace element involved in many important plant physiological and metabolic processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and nitrogen metabolism. Plants maintain iron homeostasis through absorption, transporting, storage and redistribution of iron. Iron metabolism is strictly regulated in plants. Iron regulatory transcription factors and iron transporters constitute the regulatory network of plant iron absorption and transport in plants. Ferritin and iron transporter jointly regulate the response to excess iron in plants. In recent years, important progress has been made in understanding how abscisic acid (ABA) regulates iron metabolism in plants. ABA may be used as a signal to regulate the absorption, transportation and reuse of Fe, or to relieve the symptoms of iron stress by regulating the oxidative stress responses in plants. In order to gain deeper insights into the crosstalk of ABA and iron metabolism in plants, this review summarized the mechanisms of iron absorption and transport and metabolic regulatory network in plants, as well as the mechanisms of ABA in regulating iron metabolism. The relationship between ABA and FER-like iron deficiency-induced transcription factor (FIT), iron-regulated transporter 1 (IRT1), and oxidative stress of iron deficiency were highlighted, and future research directions were prospected.

Soybean (Glycine max) grows in a wide range of latitudes, but it is extremely sensitive to photoperiod, which reduces its yield and ability to adapt to different environments. Therefore, understanding of the genetic basis of soybean adaptation is of great significance for breeding and improvement. Here, we characterized Tof18 (SOC1a) that conditions early flowering and growth habit under both short-day and long-day conditions. Molecular analysis confirmed that the two SOC1 homologs present in soybeans (SOC1a and SOC1b) underwent evolutionary functional divergence, with SOC1a having stronger effects on flowering time and stem node number than SOC1b due to transcriptional differences. soc1a soc1b double mutants showed stronger functional effects than either of the single mutants, perhaps due to the formation of SOC1a and SOC1b homodimers or heterodimers. Additionally, Tof18/SOC1a improves the latitudinal adaptation of cultivated soybeans, highlighting the functional importance of SOC1a. The Tof18

Fasciclin-like arabinogalactan protein (FLA) families have been identified and characterised in key plant species, with some members exhibiting functional specialization. Here we identify the FLA family of Eucalyptus grandis, and investigate the roles of three single-FAS domain FLAs, with particular focus on secondary cell-wall formation and wood properties. We use various in-silico approaches to identify and characterise E. grandis genome FLAs, and perform phylogenetic comparisons with other species. For three key FLAs, we perform functional testing including promoter-reporter and overexpression transgenic approaches using eucalypts, poplar and tobacco. Of the 18 eucalypt FLAs identified, several were specifically and highly expressed in stems. The specificity to stem xylem vessel and fibre development was demonstrated with EniFLA1promoter:GUS studies in several species. Testing of select eucalypt FLAs resulted in altered wood development and properties, for example 35S:EgrFLA2 led to a 3 degree reduction in cellulose microfibril angle in eucalypt xylem fibres, and 35S:EgrFLA3 to a reduction in tobacco stem flexural strength. These results indicate that the eucalypt FLA family contains diverse members, and particular members with single FAS domains that are functionally specialized for secondary cell wall growth and properties.